[RESEARCH] Research Alive Aliens - v1.54 Final - Translators needed

[hellrazor]

Downloadlinks:
Modportal Link: Research Alive Aliens
Dropbox Link: Final Version 1.54

README.txt of newest Version:

#Research Alive Aliens Mod by Hellrazor
#Readme for Version 1.54 Final

#Credits go to Fatrat for his Elerium Bomb, Ivan Dogovich for the HandObSprite,
#see https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2561.msg25916.html#msg25916
#grzegorj for his TinyResearchMod which gave the idea :>
#See: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2872.msg30949.html#msg30949
#Warboy1982 for his Reproduction
#CryptoCacuts for the Alloy Ground Tanks
#See: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3106.msg35635.html#msg35635
#Shadow for the Improve3d Interceptor (Retaliator)
#See: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,1628.msg15024.html#msg15024
#Arthanor XCom Armoury Expanded from which i stole the Corpsesprite for the Alloy Tanks
#See: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2675.msg27765.html#msg27765
#And Ryskeliini for the Taser Pistol
#See: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,1598.msg14729.html#msg14729
#And Robin x  Ryskeliini  for the Grey Armored Vest
#See: https://www.openxcom.com/mod/grey-armored-vest
#If i forgot someone please tell me and i will give you credits also :>

Hobbes Terrain Pack integrated, due to changes in newest nightly version
this mod requieres now at least: openxcom_git_master_2015_05_07_1605
Further updates will cover Ruleset adaption from OpenXcom if needed and
the Terrain Pack of course.

---
Welcome folks!
 
It is time to ready your Stun Rod equipped Grunts and get ready to go on the hunt.
On the hunt you say, YES on the hunt for your POW's. You want them,
you love them, you NEED them!

The Aliens are so different in their ways and their technology is so way
beyond anything human brains could think of that we NEED to interrogate as
many Aliens alive as possible! The Aliens have a lot of ranks at their
disposal and you NEED all of them, ok Soldiers, you don't need at all,
but Engineers, Navigators, Medics, Leaders and Commanders, are on the top
of your hunting List now.

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Compability to other Mods:

Please turn of the following Mods:
   XcomUtil Starting Defensive Improved Base (gives Alien Containment Modules)
   XcomUtil Starting Improved Base  (gives Alien Containment Module)
   Elerium Bomb (it is incorporated)
   Alloy Ground Tanks (it is incorporated)
   Retaliator - Improved Intercepter (it is incorporated)
   Taser Pistol (it is incorporated)
        Grey Armored Vest (itis incorporated)

Please consider turning of the following Mods:
   XcomUtil Improved Ground Tanks (they are overpowered and the Alloy Tanks are more balanced)
   Any other Mods which add new Weapons which need to be researched
   (you can use them but no garante they will work)
   Any other Mods which add new Races
   (i can add compability to them in the future if you like so just tell me)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best experience of this Mod is with Vanilla Weapons & Aliens.

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About this Mod:
This Mod forces the player to storm an alien base earlie to be able to research the Alien Containment
and then capture alive aliens to unlock technologies. I made sure that you get a Floater Base Mission
in the first Month instead of the Alien Research Mission. Alien Base Mission also gets 2 additional
Waves of UFOs (2 Medium Scouts and 1 Large Scout) so you can have some UFO's to raid. I do not recommend
shooting those UFO's down because the Mission could get canceled.

Alien Contaiment research has 2 dependencies, first Alien Food, which you can get from a Supply Ship;
and second Alien Reproduction which is located only in the Command Center of an Alien Base, 4 in the lower Level
 of the Command Center and 2 in the Upper Level.

So capture the Command Center undamaged, in Personal Armor, with Laser and Earth Tech vs Floaters.
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About the Alive Aliens:
To get all Techs you need:
   6 Engineers
   6 Navigators
   6 Medics
   1 Leader (To get Martian Solution, which is required by the Avenger)

You can UNLOCK MORE THEN ONE TECH with interrogating 1 Prisoner.

If you like, you capture 2(or 3) more Engineers, Navigators to get the last Alien Ships and Alien Mission Type.       

Technology Unlocks for:
Any Alien Engineer:
   Plasma Pistol + Clip (requires Alien Alloy, Elerium)
   Plasma Rifle + Clip (requires Plasma Pistol + Clip)
   Heavy Plasma + Clip (requires Plasma Rifle + Clip)
   Plasma Beam (requires Heavy Plasma + Clip)
   Blaster Launcher + Blaster Bomb(requires Small Launcher + Stun Bomb + Alien Grenade)
   UFO Power Source (requires Alien Alloys, Elerium)
   UFO Construction (requires UFO Navigation, UFO Power Source, Plasma Beam)
   Power Suit (requires Personal Armor, UFO Power Source)
   PSI Lab (together with Psi Leader and Medic)
   Firestorm (requires UFO Construction) (together with Alien Navigator)
   Lightning (requires Firestorm) (together with Alien Navigator)
   Avenger (requires Lightning + The Martian Solution) (together with Alien Medic and Navigator)

Any Alien Medic:
   Small Launcher + Stun Bomb + Elerium Bomb (requires Alien Alloys, Elerium)
   Alien Entertainment (required for Psi Lab) (requires Small Launcher)
   Examination Room (required for Psi Lab) (requires Alien Entertainment)
   Alien Surgery (required for Psi Amp) (requires Examination Room)
   Psi Amp (requires Mind Probe, Psi Lab, Alien Surgery)
   Mind Shield (requires Mind Probe, Psi Lab)
   PSI Lab (together with Psi Leader and Engineer)
   Avenger (requires Lightning + The Martian Solution) (together with Alien Engineer and Navigator)

Any Alien Navigator:
   UFO Navigation (requires Alien Alloys)
   Hyper Wave Decoder (requires UFO Navigation)
   Flying Suit (requires Power Suit, UFO Construction)
   Firestorm (requires UFO Construction) (together with Alien Engineer)
   Lightning (requires Firestorm) (together with Alien Engineer)
   Avenger (requires Lightning + The Martian Solution) (together with Alien Engineer and Medic)

Leaders and Commanders, do the usual stuff, unlocking Cydonia or Bust, or Psi Lab (if Sectoid/Ethereal)
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ALL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COSTS HAVE BEEN DOUBLED!! (Interrogations / Autopsies are still vanilla costs)
Alien Origins, The Martian Solution and Cydonia or Bust more then trippled.
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Weapon Balancing:

Craftweapons:
I adjusted craftweapons to make the Laser Cannon more usuable and Terrorships (Weaponrange: 42) more dangerous:
Sting Ray Range: 21 
Avalanche Range: 42
Laser Cannon Range: 30
Plasmabeam Range: 42
Increased Clipsize for Fusion Missile to 3

Groundweapons & Tanks:
Heavy Laser gets tiny Dam boost (85 ->90) and increased Accuracy (Can now fire 2 Aimed Shots per turn)
Elerium Bomb has same Blast Radius and Damage then Stun Bomb (except Damage Type)
Added Hovertank/Laser (same as Hovertank/Plasma but shoots Laser)
Added Hovertank/Elerium Bomb (same as Hovertank/Plasma but fires Elerium Bombs (new research project)
Added Taser Pistol (does ranged Stun Damage but has only a range of 5 tiles)
Added Armored Vest (Slightly modified stats, beginning Armor Costs: 20.000 $)

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Cost Balancing:

Retaliator has rent cost equal to Interceptors.
Increased Cost for Armors and Crafts (to fit in with tank costs)
Firestorm: 1.500.000 $
Lightning or (Thunder): 2.000.000 $
Avenger: 3.600.000 $
Personal Armor: 88.000 $ Alloy Cost: 5
Power Suit: 168.000 $ Alloy Cost: 10
Flying Suit: 232.000 $ Alloy Cost: 10
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About the Aliens in General:

New Aliens Races show up later (by 2 Months)
Increased Number of Alien Soldiers by 2-5 (depending on UFO Size)(Alien Base gets significant boost)
Increased Number of Alien Terrorunits by 1 (for each slot) for Terrorship, Battleship and Terrormission
Increased Number of Alien Terrorunits dor Base Defense by 2 (for each slot)
Alien Engineers will deploy first with Plasma Rifles then Small Launcher / Elerium Bomb
(Bases and Battleships get Blaster Launchers later on)
Weapon Loadouts / Item Levels adjusted (Mutons will bring you love with Heavy Plasma )

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YOU CAN NOT PRODUCE ALIEN ALLOYS!
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Well might be a good proposal you think or? HAPPY HUNTING!!!! and Godspeed.

I hope you like the changes in the Research tree, they should make the game even more
tense and feel you even more outgunned, so go chew on a cookie while interrogate your
Alien Prisoners.

This should be a little more tense. ;-)

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Hobbes Terrain Pack Nightly (integrated)
lukes83 Extra UFOs
lukes83 Expanded Ubase Nightly
Turn on Alien Weapon Self Destruction for a real challenge (on the battlefield and in economics)

Play this in Ironman Mode!


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Changelog

Version 1.4.3:
 - Terrainpack Ruleset upgrade. No further Changes, is playable and stable.

Version 1.4.4:
 - Inventory flag for Tanks armors got lost somehow. FIXED.

Version 1.4.5:
 - Terrainpack Ruleset upgrade. Minor Changes to Research Tree Graphic.

Version 1.4.6:
 - Terrainpack Ruleset Upgrade integrated.

Version 1.5:
 - Mod Repack and Terrainpack integration for: openxcom_git_master_2015_05_07_1605
 - added metadat.yml
 - added CHANGELOG.TXT

Version 1.5.1:
 - Terrainpack Ruleset Upgrade integrated.
   (some City location Fixes)

Version 1.52:
 - Switching Ruleset from Singlefile to Directory
 - Adjusted Resources to new folder standard
 - Language Support for en-GB added
 - Adjusted Ruleset to latest Changes in openxcom_git_master_2015_06_30_0026

Version 1.53:
 - Adjusted Ruleset to latest Changes in openxcom_git_master_2015_07_28_1355

Version 1.54
 - Adjusted Ruleset to sanity Check (Terrormission in regions.rul)


Any further upgrades will only cover the Terrainpack Ruleset Compability, other wise this Mod is completed.
But i am working on a expansion with more Stuff and more Races etc..

[hellrazor]

Corrected a type error which prevented the mod from Loading.
New Version uploaded on to first post.

Works so far no Alien Contaiment in the beginning :>
But to be really sure everything works someone needs to testplay it.

[ivandogovich]

Very Interesting ideas...  I like that this mod makes the game harder, rather than easier.

But... seems like too hard maybe?

So you need Alien Containment to start anything, but you need to assault and clear an alien base first?? 

I do really like that it makes alot of the other throw away techs important, ... the alien craft and base components. 

Feels like you would have to build research capabilities up quickly, but that you may run into times when your scientists would end up idling.

Cheers, Ivan

[hellrazor]

Found two more bugs, fixed. New Version up!

Well you can have all the Laser Weapons and Power Suits.
So you have a fighting Chance.

And yes it should make the game harder!

[ivandogovich]

Well you can have all the Laser Weapons and Power Suits.
So you have a fighting Chance.

And yes it should make the game harder!

It does look really interesting.

[hellrazor]

It does look really interesting.

Maybe i will integrate the Alloy Tanks and the Retaliator Mod what do you think.

I also started to play arround a little bit with the Craftcosts, the are so cheap moneywise...

[ivandogovich]

Maybe i will integrate the Alloy Tanks and the Retaliator Mod what do you think.

I also started to play arround a little bit with the Craftcosts, the are so cheap moneywise...

Hmm... I've never played with them as I felt they unbalanced the game.  They are probably good and necessary with this gamepace, though, so it may be worthwhile.

[hellrazor]

Hmm... I've never played with them as I felt they unbalanced the game.  They are probably good and necessary with this gamepace, though, so it may be worthwhile.

Well they aren't that bad i like them. But yes they normaly would unbalance the game a little, Retaliator mainly because they do not cost monthly Interceptor rent, after all they are refitted ones. I personally set the Retaliator cost to: 725.000$ (600.000$ for the Interceptor 125.000$ for the refit) and of course a monthly rent fee of 600.000$,i also doubled Productiontime from 4000 to 8000 to simulate 96h of arrival and refittime, equals 4,75 Days with 70 Engineers.

The tanks well they have more Armor and +10TU's, but their production cost need to be increased mainly tha Alien Alloys, from 5 to 10 and money needs some adjustment.

[XCOMFan419]

Stingray Missile Accuracy reduced by 20.
Avalanche Missile Accuracy reduced by 20, Range equals now Range of Terror Ship.

Okay so there are two things I want to talk about.
1. Why do you do this? It doesn't seem to add any benefit to the mod other than to make the overall game harder (Which most mods already do) but it is not tied into what I like to call the 'theme' of the mod. It just doesn't make any sense. Oh don't get the impression that I don't like the mod or the idea, it's a great idea. I almost want to download it and put it in my next playthrough if I didn't already have several mods that conflict with this one.

2. Why do people always make the missiles less accurate? That also doesn't make any sense. The AIM-54 Pheonix (A real life radar-guided, long range anti-air missile) had a larger range than the Avalanche (at approx. 190km) and is presumably more accurate. Even missiles like the Sparrow, Sidewinder and the AMRAAM (while shorter range, comparable to the Avalanche) are much more accurate. It just doesn't make sense other than making the game harder (Both realistically and literally) than it needs to be.

Rant over, very good mod.
Will try on my next-next playthrough 

[hellrazor]

Okay so there are two things I want to talk about.
1. Why do you do this? It doesn't seem to add any benefit to the mod other than to make the overall game harder (Which most mods already do) but it is not tied into what I like to call the 'theme' of the mod. It just doesn't make any sense. Oh don't get the impression that I don't like the mod or the idea, it's a great idea. I almost want to download it and put it in my next playthrough if I didn't already have several mods that conflict with this one.

2. Why do people always make the missiles less accurate? That also doesn't make any sense. The AIM-54 Pheonix (A real life radar-guided, long range anti-air missile) had a larger range than the Avalanche (at approx. 190km) and is presumably more accurate. Even missiles like the Sparrow, Sidewinder and the AMRAAM (while shorter range, comparable to the Avalanche) are much more accurate. It just doesn't make sense other than making the game harder (Both realistically and literally) than it needs to be.

Rant over, very good mod.
Will try on my next-next playthrough 

You can just go and comment out the the lines in the craftweapons section related to the Stingray and Avalanche Misseles.
I guess i can bump up the Accuracy again to normal, but the range should be equal to Terror-Ship Weapon range nevertheless.
Honestly I mainly did it to bring the Laser Cannon into the play. It can down all UFO's up to Supply Ship without the enemy firing.
But i consider setting it to equal Supply Ship range x-D.

2 Retaliators with Dual Laser Cannons can down a Terror-Ship, but you risk loosing at least one.
2 Retaliators with Dual Avalanche should be a safe bet.

Terror Ship are terrifying.

[hellrazor]

Fixed a huge ammount of Bugs. Also, this is now a Research Mod only. Removed Craftweapon modifikations.
New Version in first Post.

I gonna repeat Testplaying :>

[hellrazor]

I reworked the mod completly. -> Version 2.0
You know have to capture multiple Alive Aliens of each rank to go through the tech tree.
If you manage your research right one Prisoner my reveal several new topics (depending on the fullfilment of the requieres).

Also the "Alien Containment needs Research" is included as optional in an extra Ruleset file, which can be switch of or on through the mod menu, it is intended to work only with this mod.

Overall, i hope people will appreciate this mod and give it a try.

Use this mod as you please, but plz give credits :>

I had so far no time to test this properly but it should work, plz reply here in this thread if you find bugs or so.

New Version attached to first post. ( 2.0 )

[hellrazor]

Corrected a Logik Error in the Unlocks, which prevented them from happening...
Have no openxcom here to test it, hope it works.

Also removed v2.0 because it is now v1.2

I post again if i had the time to test.

New Version attached to first Post.

[hellrazor]

So Folks!
It looks like what a wanted to have is finally working. (Current version 1.2, attached to first post of this thread or, post above).
I only made a quick testgame to see if the unlocking mechanism i used was working.

Worked so far.

What i know need is some Feedback!Feedback!Feedback!Feedback!
Maybe i will find time on the next weekend to do a proper testplay, i am excited as hell :>

If everything works on my testrun next weekend i declare this version final, and move it to Completed mods.

[hellrazor]

Found a bug in Version 1.2 which prevented UFO Construction to be unlocked.

I fixed it in Version 1.2.1, works now.

Player which already have played with version 1.2, please edit the savegame files which you used with
version 1.2 and remove STR_PLASMA_BEAM_UNLOCK in the research section. Also remove STR_PLASMA_CANNON_DEP1 and STR_PLASMA_CANNON_DEP2, if they already show up there.
If they do not show in your savegame files you can just play on, after installing Version 1.2.1.

I am Sorry for the inconvinience.

Edit: Versions are only attached to first Post!